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Student Activity

Build your own magnetometer

This guide will help you build your own magnetometer.

As the solar wind passes Earth it causes minor fluctuations in Earth's magnetosphere somewhat like the flapping of a flag in a light breeze. Strong solar storms (CMEs), however, can cause significant variations in the magnetosphere. These variations can be detected all the way to the surface of Earth. A compass points to the North pole and tells us the direction of Earth's magnetic field. A compass is just a small magnet (the needle) carefully balanced on a pivot. The changes in the magnetosphere caused by solar storms are too small to be measured by a simple compass, so scientists and aurora watchers use a magnetometer.

The magnetometer you will build and use is very similar to early magnetometers used by scientists to detect magnetic change. In fact, many aurora photographers use magnetometers almost identical to yours to predict when strong auroras are likely.

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